Many organizations dream of having a company full of well-trained employees. It’s no secret that well-trained employees are more productive, retain information better, and can ultimately lead to a workforce of positive, intrinsically motivated people. In today’s ever-changing and increasingly virtual work world, business leaders should think strategically about how to develop and deliver important, up-to-date, and relevant job-related training for their company.
An instructional design model defines the activities to support the development of online learning modules. Through it, one can communicate the purpose and reason behind a strategy. It is a framework which provides the high-level view of all the major components that must be included in the course.
Models & Tools
There are a lot of models and tools out there and one may wonder which is the best. The truth is that there are individual pieces in all the models that teach us valuable lessons. Here are a few models and tools to get you started. I will also address limitations of certain models, which have resulted in newer, and enhanced models.
ADDIE Model: This model is a generic and common process used by training creators. “ADDIE” is an acronym that represents the five phases: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation. The outputs from one phase feed into the next. Some critics have described the linear approach described in the ADDIE model as a weakness because it may require an unrealistic up-front analysis.
Dick & Carey: This model is a 10- step approach that is more iterative in nature than the ADDIE Model that recognizes that each of the steps interact with each other. The ten steps are connected and may indirectly and/or directly influence other steps. This can be applied in faster-changing environments than compared to the ADDIE Model.
Kemp Design Model: Kemp Design Model proposes a circular structure instead of the linear approaches in the Dick and Carey and ADDIE Model. This circularity is obtained by looking at nine core elements of the model as interdependent rather than singular and independent. This model has a step called “Develop evaluation instruments suitable for measuring and assessing learners’ progress towards achieving course objectives,” which is unique when compared to the others. This step considers what kinds of support services are available to support the learner or that may be required to support both teaching and learning activities.
Call to Action
Organizational leaders should take a close look at their company goals and think carefully about which training and learning opportunities help achieve these goals. It does not matter what model is applied, but it is certainly important to approach training development from a strategic level and to draw from existing best practices for instructional design. netlogx can help your organization navigate through the instructional design process in a way that is effective and meaningful for your organization.
